Apparently my son's preschool class was playing red rover today. He's 3.5. I assumed they were playing a modified version but he told me that you had to break through the line of kids holding hands. Would this bother you? I feel like 3.5 is too young for such a physical/competitive game, plus I just worry about safety. But maybe I'm just being silly.
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The teachers organized this? We were never "allowed" to play at school. We organized it as kids at recess and the teachers watching just sort of let it go as long as nothing bad happened, but I remember being hurt, not badly though and I was at least 9. I assume as little kids they probably won't have the strength to be as rough?
I find it odd if teachers let the kids play though.
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@mrs. Goose: yes, it was organized by the teachers. They even sent home a photo in the daily newsletter about it. Glad to know it's not just me.
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they might be encouraging organized rough and tumble play. i would ask about it...it could be lack of thinking and careless or it could be very intentional haha
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I wouldn't give it a second thought! I bet they had lots of fun!
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I don't know if it would bother me unless a. I'd seen it and it was really rough or b. My LO told me kids were getting hurt. I know my LO's class played tug o war at a field day and they really enjoyed it and no one got hurt but with adults or big kids that can get rough too.
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That would bother me. I was the smallest kid in my class and always got targeted and frankly when a kid twice your size rams into you it HURTS. I let a lot go, but I would actually bring that up with the teachers. They might not realize how rough it is on some kids.
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This was one of my favorite games as a kid! I wouldn't think twice about my child playing it in preschool.
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@Chuckles: It would absolutely bother me. The difference in kiddo size in my LO's preschool class is considerable. My LO is one of the smallest in the class (if not the smallest weight-wise)--some classmates easily have 15-20 pounds on her. Kids can rough house at home. It's not at all appropriate at school.
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@Chuckles: I would not be ok with this. I was not allowed to play Red Rover as a kid. And I think a game like this would terrify my kid!
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The game doesn't bother if it's something some kids want to play and organize it themselves. But more for elementary age not preschool age.
But the teacher organizing it for the class, that does bother me. Like @pwnstar: DS is one of the smallest in his class and I could see him really getting hurt.
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Ugh they still play this game? I hated this game so much as a kid. I wouldn't be okay with a teacher organizing this.
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I've been a PE teacher for 9 years and I'm also getting my doctorate in PE. NO EFFING WAY would I be ok with this! It's not safe and it's not developmentally appropriate for their age.It pits the kids against one another puts the smaller/weaker students on the spot.
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Thanks everyone! Glad to see that I'm not totally crazy for being bothered though it's interesting to see a wide range of opinions. I think I'll ask the teachers about it next week. They're very nice but young and I bet they just didn't think about it.
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I dislocated my shoulder often as a preschooler and red Rover would have been able easy way to do that. I would not think that it's a good game to play, especially so young.
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This would not worry me. Kids need to learn how to play appropriately and learn the limits of their physicality. They'll be fine.
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I wouldn't want my preschooler playing it. She has already dislocated her elbow twice from far more harmless things.
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I was a small kid for my age. RR was absolutely painful. Would not want LO playing.
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Wouldn't bother me at all. This is where you all hold hands and the other kid runs towards the arms and breaks through? I don't think a kid ever got hurt when we played. I mean, as the chain, you let go on purpose 99% of the time.
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I think RR is the reason I hated PE in elem. I didn't get the memo to let go. I was on the side that wanted to win at all costs and you don't let go even if your arm fell off. Either that or I let go but the other person wouldn't let me go. Rr=Pain.
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I wouldn't mind at all. Especially if there was a teacher supervising the game.
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I think with three year olds im not imagining this as a competetive game....im imagining a lot of silly bumping into each other and rolling around on the ground. I would be more concernened about this with elem than i am with 3s....but i think again it depends on whether this was intentionally planned or just careless oversight of the teachers.
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As kids, crack the whip and red rover were banned at school. Those games also got banned at daycare after a 6 yr old boy had his arm broken. This would not be an acceptable school game, IMO. I really don't need someone else's child teaching mine the limit of his "physicality" through competitive rough play.
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I hated red rover. I was average height and weight as a kid, but I have disproportionately thin arms and I never let go. I'm surprised they still play that game. It would totally bother me to the point that I would say something about it.
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Thanks again to everyone for your thoughts. It's interesting that there's such a range of opinions. I think I'll try to get more info from the teachers about whether the kids were really running into each other and say something about how it's not allowed at many schools. FWIW, it sounds like my LO had fun with it and he's definitely one of the smaller, not as strong kids in his class.
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@Chuckles: I would love to hear what the teachers say! I am a little perplexed about this one
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So I talked to the preschool teacher yesterday, and I have to say I was a little surprised at how clueless she seemed. She said that the kids did run at each other and try to break through the kids holding hands, but that they did it super gently. I'm not sure how that's possible. I'm sure that it's not like the teachers were encouraging the kids to be rough with each other, but it still seems strange. She also had no idea that red rover is not allowed in many schools and that kids could dislocate elbows doing it. Oh well. I really like his teachers, but this isn't the first time I've had questions about their judgment.
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@Chuckles: yeah....that response moves me firmly into the no way category.
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@Chuckles: uh yeah I'd be pissed. We used to play that game and it was super fun but looking back now I can't believe it was aloud. I used to work at a school where it wasn't allowed and those were older kids. It just seems like it's teaching the kids to be violent and someone is bound to get hurt.
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I would not be ok with this. D is one of the smallest in his class, and has already been targeted by the bigger kids. Since he was 2, he's been picked on and bullied because of his size. I can only imagine how this would go in his class. Nope. I would absolutely speak up.
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